Shams: Kuz and Baldwin to Bucks for Middleton, Johnson, '28 Pick Swap

[gambitx777]

With the addition of AJ Johnson the Zards now have four 19-20 yr olds from the first round of the 2024 draft.

Don’t know how any of these youngins’ will turn out, but when you’re rebuilding it’s smart to have as many bites of the apple as possible.

We basically reverse engineered a PIF draft! One of them has to hit now

Somewhere piff is smiling lol
Adding 2 20 year olds and a pick swap and some seconds lol

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[dorianwrite]

There was once a player named Kuz
Who drove all the Wiz fans to booze
As he launched stupid 3's
And dribbled off knees
While the team just continued to lose.

[Frichuela]

There was once a player named Kuz
Who drove all the Wiz fans to booze
As he launched stupid 3's
And dribbled off knees
And the team just continued to lose.

Hear hear!

Just add

"But he was luckily sold so us fans can watch a better show"

Seriously, ecstatic about not having to watch this bum anymore shooting bricks, jogging around the court and playing matador D.

[LyricalRico]

Would Miami give up a FRP if we worked out a 3-way where they turn Butler in Middleton (and get out of the luxtax), Butler goes to a 3rd team, and we get garbage contracts?

[spaceman_E]

just because yall didn't like watching him play doesn't make this a good trade.

another fake asset, check
160lb guard that shoots in the 20's from 3.. in the GLeague, check
salary dumped player for... worse salary, check

This isn't going to affect much long-term but another notch in the FO list of misevaluations

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Read on Twitter

Interesting. It would be nice to trade him for a worse, more expensive player in exchange for more picks, but there really isn't anyone out there. Michael Porter Jr. perhaps. Bradley Beal would actually make good sense but he has a NTC.

Would Miami give up a FRP if we worked out a 3-way where they turn Butler in Middleton (and get out of the luxtax), Butler goes to a 3rd team, and we get garbage contracts?

Butler is going to Golden State for Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, and a first round pick.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/43710183/sources-heat-finalizing-jimmy-butler-trade-warriors

[penbeast0]

I don't understand the Poole hate. Poole isn't a great player or anything, but he has been fine this year. He is as good as or even a bit better than what one could reasonably expect at the time we made the trade.

You were here last year, you can certainly understand how a hate for him developed. Add to that that even this year, he's an undersized gunner with weak defense and he's unlikely to develop the bbiq, PG instincts, or extra size or athleticism to be much more. He has been a guy with a role in the NBA this year, unlike last, and from all accounts is a hard worker, but it's not a role I've ever been terribly fond of.

[badinage]

I will say: I liked Kuzma. I like Kuzma. He’s a good guy. He’s an interesting guy. I like his drip. This is such a style-less city — he brought something fun. And until this year, when they just decided to lose and what was the point of anything, he played hard and was sometimes clutch. No resentment here. He didn’t do us wrong. I wish him well — in the association and in life.

[Illawarra_Buck]

just because yall didn't like watching him play doesn't make this a good trade.

another fake asset, check
160lb guard that shoots in the 20's from 3.. in the GLeague, check
salary dumped player for... worse salary, check

This isn't going to affect much long-term but another notch in the FO list of misevaluations

Where on earth is this 20s% coming from? I've seen it a few times in this thread. Are you reading Tip off tournament stats? In real life he's shooting 42.6% from 3 on 4.1 attempts per game in the G-League regular season.

His issue in the G-League, as it was in limited burn in Wollongong, is finishing around the rim.

[Illawarra_Buck]

Anyway. I came to wish you guys luck and share the observations I shared with my fellow Bucks fans when he arrived to help you contextualise his time in Wollongong.

You guys might be on to something special here. Ceiling Derrick Rose, floor Cortez Groves.

From draft day:

The situation:
AJ arrived at a Hawks club in turmoil. It's actually usually a benefit for a Next Star signing to end up at a **** club for guaranteed mins and opportunity - see Melo. We were definitely **** - make no mistake about that.

Unfortunately, coming off the back of a 3-25 season, no one was under more pressure than coach Jakomas. Can I blame the bloke? Nah, it was his livelihood afterall and he clearly thought the best pathway to his continued employment was to go with a lower risk, conservative approach. Maybe grind out a few wins.

Expectations were low. About as low as you could get really. Truthfully no one would have been surprised to see Jakomas' contract extended if we could just scrape our way to 2nd last.

It was in this context that gun sniper and combo guard Tyler Harvey was moved off ball. Ex 2-way Buck Justin Robinson returning from injury was given the reigns as the steady, experienced hand that was to keep coach JJ in a job.

Lack of opportunity for AJ was one of the things that had fans most perplexed. There was also a sense that powers that be in the league weren't happy. Why would young players commit to be Next Stars over college only to get zero burn?

Justin Tatum (Jayson's dad for those not up to date) took over mid season and got to work fiddling with the rotation. As the season turned around, Robinson was relegated to the bench role and there were back court minutes to be had. All of a sudden the conversation was about playoff rotation rather than player development. Ultimately those spare minutes increasingly became allocated to fan favourite Swiss army knife and ultimate glue guy, Will "Davo" Hickey. No one doubts this was a good idea, Hickey's D, hustle and one memorable O board, put back buzzer beater were integral to the fairytale run.

From what we saw, I don't think anyone doubts that AJ could have contributed as a rotation player but without coach Jakomas carving out a role for him early, he was just too young and unfamiliar with systems to be considered for available minutes over more experienced heads, especially as it started look as though we may be a post-season team.


His game:
I watched him scrimmage quite a few times when the Hawks were training at the Snakepit. You hear about his speed, smoothness and athleticism but you actually might not believe it til you see it ... he's fast, in kind of an indescribable way. He creates transition from nothing. Blink and it's over.

His shooting mechanics aren't great. Like everything he does, he gets it off super quickly with seeming ease but it definitely starts low and comes off up off the hip a bit.

The body is the big question mark. He has the right dimensions but the guy is pencil thin. He'd be absolutley bullied in the NBA. The question is to what degree can he bulk up without losing the remarkable aspects of his game.

He won't be slowing down wings any time soon - I saw Gary Clark feast on him during scrimmage a few times. But fronting up to seasoned professional guards like Harvey and Robinson he was able to hold his own. He definitely lacks the strength to fight through screens at the moment.

If i squinted maybe he didn't look totally like a boy playing amongst grown men ... maybe.

[daoneandonly]

Kuzma is addition by subtraction in every which way, Midds is as solid as a vet leader as this league has. AJ Johnson is gravy, so great trade by the Wiz

[tontoz]

I don't think it is a coincidence that we drop 40 assists right after Kuzma was traded.

[TheBlackCzar]

I will say: I liked Kuzma. I like Kuzma. He’s a good guy. He’s an interesting guy. I like his drip. This is such a style-less city — he brought something fun. And until this year, when they just decided to lose and what was the point of anything, he played hard and was sometimes clutch. No resentment here. He didn’t do us wrong. I wish him well — in the association and in life.

Kuz dressed like a grade a Bamma..... This city lost a lot of its style due to gentrification... Sorry ya'll new folks are bammas, but um us natives definitely have style and know how to dress so get ya mind right my friend....

[machu46]

2028 is not far enough away. My guess is the pick won't convey.

I think it could be because Giannis' deal expires in '28. At that point, or '26/'27 Giannis will be deciding (if he isn't already dealt) whether he wants to be a career Buck or not. I think with the Bucks pretty consistently sliding down the East ladder the last few years he will probably ask for a trade somewhere between Summer '25 and Deadline '27, and if the Bucks are smart, they'll begin the process of blowing up the team in that window, which would mean their implosion season is either '26-'27, '27-'28 or '28-'29. I think it's basically a dart throw with a 1 in 3 fake chance of them dealing Giannis before the '27-'28 season kicks off, and if that happens, they will crater that year and we may pass them in the standings. Of course any chance of us catching and passing them in '28 will require stuff happening in '25, '26 and '27 far ahead of time (us landing 1-3 superstars in those 3 drafts).

Giannis will be 31 next season, Dame will be 35. Portis and Pat C have player options that they will most likely pick up. Between Kuz, Giannis and Dame they've got $130 million tied into those 3. They can't draft worth a damn. If they trade Giannis to Houston, they're getting a ton of picks back but probably no impact players. So yeah, I could see this falling off a cliff for them here shortly.

Devil's advocate, if it gets to the point that Giannis is dealt, decent chance the GM is gone at that point so maybe we would be able to draft worth a damn. He was nearly gone this past offseason and I gotta imagine he's on a very tight leash right now.

[badinage]

I will say: I liked Kuzma. I like Kuzma. He’s a good guy. He’s an interesting guy. I like his drip. This is such a style-less city — he brought something fun. And until this year, when they just decided to lose and what was the point of anything, he played hard and was sometimes clutch. No resentment here. He didn’t do us wrong. I wish him well — in the association and in life.

Kuz dressed like a grade a Bamma..... This city lost a lot of its style due to gentrification... Sorry ya'll new folks are bammas, but um us natives definitely have style and know how to dress so get ya mind right my friend....

So, first things first …

1. Don’t assume things about people. You get yourself in trouble. Like now.
2. Not a “new folk”
3. Kuz didn’t dress like a “bama” — the opposite, in fact
4. The long-time residents of this city are style-less and so are the newcomers. It’s a dowdy, bland City compared to NYC, SF, LA, Miami, Austin, Chicago, even Atlanta.
5. The city before gentrification had little style either lol.

[DCZards]

I will say: I liked Kuzma. I like Kuzma. He’s a good guy. He’s an interesting guy. I like his drip. This is such a style-less city — he brought something fun. And until this year, when they just decided to lose and what was the point of anything, he played hard and was sometimes clutch. No resentment here. He didn’t do us wrong. I wish him well — in the association and in life.

Kuz dressed like a grade a Bamma..... This city lost a lot of its style due to gentrification... Sorry ya'll new folks are bammas, but um us natives definitely have style and know how to dress so get ya mind right my friend....

So, first things first …

1. Don’t assume things about people. You get yourself in trouble. Like now.
2. Not a “new folk”
3. Kuz didn’t dress like a “bama” — the opposite, in fact
4. The long-time residents of this city are style-less and so are the newcomers. It’s a dowdy, bland City compared to NYC, SF, LA, Miami, Austin, Chicago, even Atlanta.
5. The city before gentrification had little style either lol.

I'm with TheBlackCzar. Your view of DCs style has to do with who you're personally rolling with in DC's social world...which has some very different levels.

[AFM]

This is now a fashion board. Personally I think Kuzma dresses terribly, there's something called "trying too hard" which ironically is the exact opposite of his approach to basketball. That being said, his clothing choice is probably the 20th thing wrong with him.

[badinage]

Kuz dressed like a grade a Bamma..... This city lost a lot of its style due to gentrification... Sorry ya'll new folks are bammas, but um us natives definitely have style and know how to dress so get ya mind right my friend....

So, first things first …

1. Don’t assume things about people. You get yourself in trouble. Like now.
2. Not a “new folk”
3. Kuz didn’t dress like a “bama” — the opposite, in fact
4. The long-time residents of this city are style-less and so are the newcomers. It’s a dowdy, bland City compared to NYC, SF, LA, Miami, Austin, Chicago, even Atlanta.
5. The city before gentrification had little style either lol.

I'm with TheBlackCzar. Your view of DCs style has to do with who you're personally rolling with in DC's social world...which has some very different levels.

I appreciate your coyness/tact, even as I take issue with the insinuation. I’m in those worlds, believe me. And have been. And still stand by what I said. You’re focusing only on how people dress/express themselves. I’m also looking at the city and how it expresses ITself. Not the official city, which is pretty in places but also bland and uninspiring, but the city city, DC, which if you look at its architecture and its neighborhoods (all of them), if you take in its energy and feel, if you look at its public art or lacktherof, if you spend time in its plazas and shopping districts, is differently but equally unalive.

[penbeast0]

I will say: I liked Kuzma. I like Kuzma. He’s a good guy. He’s an interesting guy. I like his drip. This is such a style-less city — he brought something fun. And until this year, when they just decided to lose and what was the point of anything, he played hard and was sometimes clutch. No resentment here. He didn’t do us wrong. I wish him well — in the association and in life.

Kuz dressed like a grade a Bamma..... This city lost a lot of its style due to gentrification... Sorry ya'll new folks are bammas, but um us natives definitely have style and know how to dress so get ya mind right my friend....

So, first things first …

1. Don’t assume things about people. You get yourself in trouble. Like now.
2. Not a “new folk”
3. Kuz didn’t dress like a “bama” — the opposite, in fact
4. The long-time residents of this city are style-less and so are the newcomers. It’s a dowdy, bland City compared to NYC, SF, LA, Miami, Austin, Chicago, even Atlanta.
5. The city before gentrification had little style either lol.

Exception . . . guys in uniform. Washington has a strong military presence and a U.S. military dress uniform (not fatigues) always looks sharp. I always liked the K street style of short suit skirts with white running shoes too but I know it's not high fashion.

[TGW]

As someone who wore slouch socks, new balances, glittery hats, Madness, HOBO and Solbiato, I can honestly say yea, DC had some terrible styles now that I look back on it. And I still wear the local brands just to support them, although I can't say I would wear the stuff if I wasn't from the area.